The "Box" Came

[Bobo912]

What trips do you get the box for? We took the Med. ABD last year and did not receive these gifts

If you book any of the non-cruise trips you get the box.

 

[Smuggs]

I received my Box yesterday! I was a little disappointed when I opened it to find 2 backpacks instead of the computer bags that I had requested. I had to call ABD on another matter so I asked about the bags. She told me that since I was a returning guest I should have received the computer bag, but since my DD is new to ABD she would have to keep the backpack. Bummer. Oh well, the rest of the contents were exciting. Its getting closer!

How would you compare the quality of the backpacks to your old ones? I have friends who have them from last year and I thought the old ones were much nicer. The new ones seemed cheap and small.

 

[sayhello]

What trips do you get the box for? We took the Med. ABD last year and did not receive these gifts

For some reason, they gave us the backpacks on the cruise, rather than sending it to our homes beforehand. I sure hope you got one on the cruise! I really missed getting the box for the Med cruise. Somehow the keychain was just not the same! As far as I know, the cruise add-ons are the only trips to not get the box, and that's because everything for the add-ons is controlled by DCL, not ABD, so the pre-trip stuff is not the same.

Sayhello

 

[safetymom]

Just returned from our ABD trip and the backpack was great. Carried my ipad and camera in it with no problems. It was big enough for what I needed.

 

[BriarRose59]

How would you compare the quality of the backpacks to your old ones? I have friends who have them from last year and I thought the old ones were much nicer. The new ones seemed cheap and small.

I pulled out the old backpack to compare side by side. The old backpack is made of polyester but it looks like canvas. It stayed nice throughout the entire China trip and I used it daily. The new ones are made from a more shiny, thinner fabric. I don't know that they are "cheaper" but they are made of a lighter weight fabric. I noticed one difference that will show in the wear and tear. When you unzip the 2009 backpack you open the zipper and that is all there is to the opening. When you unzip the 2011 backpack there is a triangle of thin polyester that will tear fairly easily with lots of use. It does make the opening of the backpack larger, but not as sturdy. As to size, they are both about the same.

 

[Bobo912]

My box came yesterday. I got the backpack because I didn't want another of the old clunky messenger bags like they had in 2008, but I wish now I had gotten the messenger bag. The backpack is okay, but I like the old one better (my old one started falling apart during the Alaska trip though). I bought a backpack for the Galapagos trip and it's much nicer, so I won't be using the ABD one. The kid's game case is the same colors as the kids backpack from previous years. DS doesn't know were going yet, so no feedback on it's usefullness. There is a keychain, which I don't think anyone has mentioned, but just one, so I guess kid's don't get keychains. Anybody who has already gotten their box - what is the black ribbon thingy for? Is it just something that was supposed to hold all the other stuff together? It was just lying in my box with a sticker on one end, with no apparent use. It's getting to the point where I don't want all this stuff anymore. I wish they would have an option to get a giftcard ($10 or $5 or whatever all this stuff costs them) and I could give it to my kid to buy a little souvenier or ice cream on something like that on the trip. Or if it has to be an item with a logo. so we can be a walking advertisement for them, I would rather have a T-shirt.

 

[sayhello]

My box came yesterday. I got the backpack because I didn't want another of the old clunky messenger bags like they had in 2008, but I wish now I had gotten the messenger bag. The backpack is okay, but I like the old one better (my old one started falling apart during the Alaska trip though). I bought a backpack for the Galapagos trip and it's much nicer, so I won't be using the ABD one. The kid's game case is the same colors as the kids backpack from previous years. DS doesn't know were going yet, so no feedback on it's usefullness. There is a keychain, which I don't think anyone has mentioned, but just one, so I guess kid's don't get keychains. Anybody who has already gotten their box - what is the black ribbon thingy for? Is it just something that was supposed to hold all the other stuff together? It was just lying in my box with a sticker on one end, with no apparent use. It's getting to the point where I don't want all this stuff anymore. I wish they would have an option to get a giftcard ($10 or $5 or whatever all this stuff costs them) and I could give it to my kid to buy a little souvenier or ice cream on something like that on the trip. Or if it has to be an item with a logo. so we can be a walking advertisement for them, I would rather have a T-shirt.

As far as the keychain is concerned, at least for last year, it was only one keychain per party. Which is really pretty ridiculous. I *think* I asked for the messenger bag, since I already have 2 ABD backpacks... we'll see what it's like. I agree, they should have a wider selection. How many backpacks do you need? (Of course, with the quality going downhill, maybe we *do* need a new one each year! )

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